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Minnesota voices were among those calling for a congressional role on Syria

Guests

Larry Jacobs:Director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs

When President Obama announced his decision on Saturday to seek congressional approval for a military strike on Syria, he said members of Congress had been expressing a desire to speak on the issue. That includes a majority of Minnesota's delegation to the U.S. House of representatives.

MPR News' Washington correspondent, Brett Neely, reported late last week that "at least five members of Minnesota's U.S. House delegation are calling for Congress to weigh in on whether a military strike should be launched against Syria for its alleged use of chemical weapons against civilians."

Neely wrote:

Those who want President Obama to consult Congress on Syria come from the left and right — including Republican Michele Bachmann and Democrats Keith Ellison, Colin Peterson, Tim Walz and Rick Nolan. The 8th District congressman has been trying for months to limit the Obama administration's authority to wade into the Syrian conflict.

"We are war weary. These wars of choice and this so-called nation-building abroad is bankrupting this country. It's causing nothing but trouble for us throughout the world and it's time that this Congress step up," Nolan said.

U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken have each expressed a willingness to take action against Syria in response to the Damascus regime's alleged use of chemical weapons against its own people.

Klobuchar told Politico earlier this summer that she would favor imposing a no-fly zone over Syria. After the president's remarks on Saturday, she issued a statement praising his decision to seek congressional approval.

Franken cut short a northern Minnesota trip to return to Washington, the Star Tribune reported. He said in a statement that "there have to be consequences" for the Syrian regime's alleged actions.

The Daily Circuit takes stock of the Minnesota congressional delegation and its likely votes on the Syrian crisis.